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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 203   View pdf image (33K)
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BIOGRAPHIES CAS

known. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: trained as
a physician. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: physician,
1781; planter, 1784. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Lower House, Frederick County, 1784,
1785. MILITARY SERVICE: sergeant, Maryland Mi-
litia, 1777; ensign, Second Maryland Regiment,
1781; 2nd lieutenant, 1781, resigned April 1783.

WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST

ELECTION. 1 lot in Frederick Town, Frederick
County; a house in Baltimore Town, Baltimore
County (from his father's will). SIGNIFICANT

CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION

AND DEATH: acquired at least 1,665 acres in
Maryland and Virginia; he and his brothers
deeded their interest in their father's estate in trust
to George French and Jacob Young, on August 8,
1791, and then Cary sought relief as an insolvent
debtor from the Assembly, which was granted on
December 30, 1791. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED:
date unknown; alive in 1800 when he received a
warrant for 200 acres of federal land to which he
was entitled for his service as a lieutenant in the
Continental Army.

CASSON, HENRY (?-ca. 1788). RESIDED: in
Queen Anne's County (later became part of Caro-
line County). MARRIED in October 1739 Esther,
daughter of Thomas Baynard (?-1731), of Queen
Anne's County, a merchant and Quaker, and wife
Esther Pratt, a Quaker. Her brothers were John
Pratt (?-ca. 1747), a Quaker, who married in 1730
Elizabeth, widow of Richard Fisher; Thomas, who
married in 1746 Hannah Nicholson; and Nathan,
who married Sarah. Her sisters were Rachel, who
married in 1734 William Willson; Deborah, who
married first, in 1739 Jeffrey Horner, and second,
Hawkins Downes (?-1756). Her niece was Marga-
ret Baynard, who married second, Matthew Driver
(1740-1798). ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Esther had
a first cousin, George Pratt, orphan of her uncle
Thomas Pratt, who was adopted by her mother,
thereby legally becoming her brother. CHILDREN.
SONS. John; James; Thomas; and possibly Henry,
Jr. (?-1777), who married Elizabeth. DAUGHTER:
Esther, who married Matthew Driver (1740- 1798).
There may have been other children. PRIVATE CA-
REER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIA-
TION: Anglican, St. John's Parish, Queen Anne's
County. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent.,

by 1743. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: In his will,

Casson directed his executor to employ some
proper person "to correct and prepare my main
works for the press and to get them printed....."
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: merchant. PUBLIC CA-
REER LEGISLATIVE SERVICE. Lower House, Queen

Anne's County, 1754-1757 (Arms and Ammuni-
tion 5, 6; Bills of Credit 5). LOCAL OFFICES: jus-
tice, Queen Anne's County, 1741-at least 1749;
churchwarden, St. Paul's Parish, Queen Anne's
County, in office 1747; St. John's Parish Vestry,
Queen Anne's County, in office 1752 and 1758;
Committee of Correspondence, Queen Anne's
County, ca. 1774; judge, court of appeals, ap-
pointed under the Act to Procure Troops for the
American Army, Caroline County, appointed
1778. MILITARY SERVICE: captain, by 1776.

WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: assessed value £298.0.0, including 6 slaves
and 8 oz. plate, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION:
1,515 acres in Queen Anne's and Dorchester
counties (all acquired by purchase or patent). SIG-
NIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST
ELECTION AND DEATH: gave 241 acres in Queen
Anne's County by deed of gift to his son John,
1768. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: will probated on
January 29, 1788, in Caroline County. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: TEV, £283.0.11 current money (in-
cluding 5 slaves, 16 oz. plate, and books); FB, es-
tate overpaid £198.9.10. LAND: at least 1,303 acres
in Caroline County.

CASWELL, RICHARD (1685-1755). BORN: in
1685 in London, England. IMMIGRATED: in 1712
to Baltimore County. RESIDED: in Joppa,
Baltimore County, until 1747 when he moved with
his family to Johnston County, North Carolina.
MARRIED on January 12, 1723, Christian (1704-
1787), daughter of Richard Dallam (?-1714) and
wife Elizabeth (Betty), who subsequently married
William Smith, Gent. (?-1731), of Calvert County
and later Baltimore County. Dallam immigrated
to Calvert County by May 1701, was a lawyer,
clerk of the Lower House from 1708 to 1713, and
deputy commissary of Calvert County in 1713.
Christian was the granddaughter of William Mar-
tin, of Calvert County. Her brothers were Richard
(1708-ca. 1765), who married Frances Wallis
(1711-?); William (1706-1761), who married
Elizabeth Johnson. Her half brother was William
Smith (?-?). Her half sister was Elizabeth, who
married John Paca(1712-1785). Her nephew was
Richard Dallam (1743-1820). Her half nephews
were Aquila Paca (1738-1788); William Paca
(1740-1799). CHILDREN. SONS: William (1726-
1755), who moved to North Carolina in 1746 and
died on shipboard returning to Maryland; Richard
(1729-1789), a lawyer, member of the North Car-
olina House of Delegates from 1754 to 1771, dele-
gate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to
1776, governor of North Carolina from 1776 to

203



 

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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 203   View pdf image (33K)
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